Julie Biuso's Plum Jam
If it’s the first time you are making jam, try making a half quantity, which is easier to manage. Once you get the hang of it, move onto a bigger batch.
If it's the first time you are making jam, try making a half quantity, which is easier to manage. Once you get the hang of it, move onto a bigger batch.
Ingredients
- 2 kg red-fleshed plums such as omega, black doris, damson, satsuma, preferably organic, and slightly under-ripe rather than ripe
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1.8kg granulated sugar (organic granulated ‘golden’ sugar is suitable)
Instructions
- 1.
Prepare jars by washing, rinsing, drying and heating in an oven preheated to 110°C. Tip sugar into a large shallow tin like a Swiss roll tin.
- 2.
Weigh fruit, wash, shake off excess water, then cut in half and remove stones. If plums are large, chop into quarters or smaller pieces. If stones are hard to remove, leave them in and scoop out as they rise to the top. Put water in a preserving pan, then add the chopped plums and lemon juice. Set pan over a low to medium heat and slowly heat the fruit. This draws out the juices and pectin and softens the fruit.
Once the fruit starts to bubble, increase heat to high and let fruit cook at a good bubble, but watch it so it doesn’t turn into a rolling boil. Let the fruit cook until reduced by one-third, about 25-30 minutes; stir from time to time.
- 3.
Once the fruit starts to bubble, increase heat to high and let fruit cook at a good bubble, but watch it so it doesn’t turn into a rolling boil. Let the fruit cook until reduced by one-third, about 25-30 minutes; stir from time to time.
- 4.
Put the sugar in the oven below the jars to warm for 10-12 minutes while the fruit is bubbling, and put two saucers in the fridge to chill to use later for testing the set of the jam. If you are using a sugar thermometer, warm it in a jug of warm water.
- 5.
When the fruit is ready, lower the heat, tip in the sugar, and stir with a long-handled wooden spoon until it is completely dissolved. If using a thermometer, shake it dry and insert into jam. Increase heat under pan and cook jam at a brisk but not an explosive boil, for about 10 minutes, or until it reaches 104°C – the setting point for jam; don’t stir during this process Alternatively, use the saucer-setting test here. Immediately turn off the heat and quickly skim off any bubbly scum from the top.
- 6.
Have the warm sterilised jars ready either on a wooden board or double thickness of newspaper. Pour jam into jars – this is easily done using a jam jar funnel. Wipe rims of jars with a clean hot cloth (damp), put lids on jars and leave jam to cool.
- 7.
When jars are cool enough to handle, but without moving the jars, wipe outsides of jars with a damp cloth, then polish with a dry cloth. When jars are cool, adhere labels and store somewhere cool and dark.
